Filter for feed-water heaters.



No. 824,389. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906. 0. L. STUMP.

FILTER POR FEED WATER HEATERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` I Gummi PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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OMAN L. STUMP, OF MARION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN REIDENBAUGH AND ONE-THIRD OHIO.

TO EDWIN D. PACKARD, OF MARION,

Specification of Letters Patent.

L'atented Enne 2G, 1906.

Original application iiled August l 9,1904, Serial No. 221,348. Divided and this application iiled September 9,1905. Se1ialN0-277 95.

To LZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OMAN L. STUMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filters for Feed-Water Heaters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to filters for feedwater heaters, and has for its object to provide a filter for use in connection with any approved form of open feed-water heater', which iilter shall be to a great extent practically self-cleaning while in use, thereby avoiding the necessity of frequent stoppages for the purpose of cleaning the iilter; which may be readily and thoroughly cleaned without removing the same from the heater or vessel in which it is contained which shall be of increased eliiciency, not only by reason of its self-cleaning character, but also by reason of the large area of the filter-bed in proportion to the area of the filtering-chamber and by reason of the increased eiiiciency. or thoroughness of the separation of the sediment from the feed-water; which will be strong and durable and readily assembled and taken apart when necessary.

To these and other ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a structure embodying myinvention in one form. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same in section on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the filter-bed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the same, taken on the line 'y y of Fig.v 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and 5 is a similar section taken on the line ,e a of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown mv improvements as applied to a well-known type of feed-water heater, known as the open type, the particular structure of this class chosen for purposes of illustration being the Cochrane heater set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 420,718 of February 4, 1890, and No. 530,749 of December 1l, 1894. I wish it understood, however,

that my invention is not limited to this particular heater, but is capable of a wide range ofl application. In heaters of this class the exhaust-steam is admitted to the vessel or chamber 1 through a pipe 2, and passing through the open upper portion of the heater escapes through the outlet pipe 3. The feed-water is admitted to the heater through a pipe 4 and is brought into intimate contact with and thoroughly heated-by the steam in the upper part of the heater, chemicals being introduced, if desired, along with the feedwater. The feed-water is drawn off through a pipe 5, preferably by means of a pump, and a filter is interposed between the feed-water outlet and the upper part of the heater to eX- tract from the water the sediment deposited 1 by the heating thereof and also that formed by the chemical treatment of the water. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the filter-bed thus employed has been so constructed that it begins to clog with the sediment at once and in twenty-four hours has become so clogged that it becomes necessary to put the heater out of use, empty and open it, and remove, clean, and replace the Jfilter-bed. This involves either delay by way of stoppage of the plant or the employment of a duplicate set of heaters, and in any event involves eX- pense in labor and a constantly-diminishing efliciency of the filter-bed while in use. To overcome these objections, I have devised a iilter-bed composed ofcloth or other suitable fabric, muslin being preferred, suitably supported so as to maintain its position, which is inclined to the horizontal is such a way that the sediment deposited on top ofthe filtering fabric will descend along the surface of the same, its descent being facilitated by the agitation of the water in the filtering-chamber, due to the pulsations of the steam-exhaust and of the feed-pump which draws oif the feed-water. Preferably this filter-bed eX- tends diagonally across the filtering-chamber from the water-line downward to the bottom of said chamber, its diagonal position presenting a largely-increased area of filteringsurface over the ordinary bed, which is hori- Zontally arranged. In its preferred form the filter-bed comprises a plurality of sheets of filtering fabric, preferably of increasing ICO iineness downward and separated by spacingy termed the filtering-chamber, is indicated bythe reference-numeral 6, and to each of theside walls of said chamber there is secured an inclined support, preferably in the form of an angle-iron 7, extending diagonally downward from the neighborhood of the wa- "ter-line to the neighborhood of the bottom of the chamber. At each end of these supports 7 there are located transverse supports S and 9, which being interposed between the filterbed `and that portion ofthe chamber contain- Y ing the filtered water constitute partitions whichI preyent the unfiltered water from passing around the ends of the rfilter-bed, compelling it to pass through the said bed to reach the pure-water outlet. The lower support o r partition S is located a short distance from the adjacent end wall of the chamber, thereby forming a sediment-chamber 10 at the bottom of the heater and at the foot of the inclined filter-bed. Blow-off or outlet pipes 11, provided with controlling-valves 12, communicate with this sediment-chamber, as shown.y l

' ,The filter-bed in its preferred form is built up in the following manner: Upon the angle-bars 7 there rests a supporting-grating 13, which is preferably built of a plurality of sections small enough to permit their introduction through the usual door in the side of the heater. Upon this supporting-grate 13 there rests a sheet of filtering fabric 141, which being the lowermost sheet is preferably of finer texture than those above it. rfhis sheet of filtering fabric is held in position by means of a grate15 resting upon it and also preferably built up of a plurality of 'sections of a size such -as ,tol permit their,ready introduction into theheater. Upon thegrate 15 there rests a` sheetof filtering fabric 16, preferably somewhatv coarser than the fabric 14, and

- upon the sheet 1.6 there rests a grate 17, sinular to the grate 15. The .filter-bed may be built up of any desired number of sheets of fabric and grates but in the present instance I have shown three of each, the grate 17, supporting a sheet of fabric 18, preferably coarser than the sheet 16 and held in position by a superposed grate 1,9. The main supportinggrate 13 may be of any suitable construction which will support the parts above it and permit the passage of the filtered water. The upper grates, however, which serve to hold in place and. also space apart or separate the sheets of filtering fabric, are so constructed that while their longitudinal bars 2O extend from fabric to fabric their cross-bars 21 are of less depth, extending downward onlya part of the distance between the sheets of fabric, thus leaving longitudinal channels 22, which extend unobstructedly along the top of each sheet of fabric from the upper to the lower edge thereof. Thus each sheet of filtering fabric has the major portion of its upper surface entirely free and unobstructed in the direction of its inclination from end to end thereof, and no obstructions are present which would tend to cause the sediment to lodge upon said sheets or to prevent its free descent along the same and its free discharge from the lower end of each sheet into the sediment-chamber.

The several gratings may be held in position in any suitable manner but I prefer for that purpose the construction shown, in which each of the angle-irons 7 has extending upward therefrom studs or bolts 23, which pass through the several gratings to hold them in position. The gratings, when constructed in sections, are further held in position by means of bars 24, extending longitudinally of the bed over the top of the sections of the uppermost grate, these longitudinal bars being held in place by transverse bars 25, secured in position by the studs 23, the upper pro-A bed may be readily taken apart and removed from the heater when necessary and as readily replaced.

The filter-bed thus constructed is to a great extent self-cleaning. The feed-water must pass through every one of the several sheets in order to reach the outlet and will deposit its sediment upon the upper surfaces of the several sheets, any sediment which may pass through the coarser sheets being arrested by the finer ones. The pulsations of the exhaust-steam in the upper chamber of the heater, or those of the feed-pump connected to the outlet-pipe 5, or both, cause a pulsatio'n or agitation of the water within the heater which is imparted to the sheets of filtering fabric. The natural tendency of the sediment is to pass downward by gravity along the inclined unobstructed surfaces of the filtering-sheets, and this natural tendency is reinforced by the pulsations of the said sheets, which prevent the sediment from ad- IOO IIO

hering to their surfaces and cause it to move disturbing them. To this end there is located within the heater, at the top of the filtering-chamber and extending transversely across the same at the upper endlof the filtering-bed, a wash-pipe 27, connected with a supply of water under pressure by a pipe 28, having a controlling-valve 29. Within the heater the pipe 27 is slotted or otherwise apertured, as indicated at 30, so as to discharge the wash-water upon the sheets of filtering material of which the bed is composed, such discharge taking place at the upper ends of said sheets. Preferably the upper end of the filter-bed is inclosed between the support or partition 9 at its lower edge and a partition 31 at its upper edge, so as to form a chamber 32 in which the pipe 27 is located and discharges and with which the upper ends of the spaces between the grates of which the bed is composed are in free communication. In

- this way a full supply of water to each of the lat any time.

sheets is assured. When it is desired to wash the filter-bed, the heater may be emptied and washed by water under pressure supplied from the pipe 27, which water will descend along the upper surfaces of the filtering-sheets and will thoroughly clean the same, washing the sediment down into the sediment-chamber l0, from which it can be readily removedthrough the pipes l1. Of course the sediment-chamber may be blown out in the usual manner through these pipes A thorough washing of the filter-bed is rendered possible by its inclined position, such washing not being practicable in the case of the usual horizontal filter-bed.

In practice I have found that the structure which I have devised is capable of continuous use for long periods withoutany interruption in the operation of the heater, its efficiency being high, owing to its self-clearing character and to the relatively large amount of water which is therefore permitted to pass through it. When its efficiency does become impaired by clogging, it can be readily and quickly cleaned without removal from the heater and at a small fraction of the expense and time ordinarily required.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings, as it is obvious that these details may be modified without departing from the principles of my invention.

I make no claim in the present application to the broad idea of the combination, with a feed-water heater having a steam-space above and a filtering-chamber below, of afiltering-bed extending in an incline position across said filtering-chamber to make it selfcleaning, the water inlet and outlet being respectively on the upper and under sides of said filtering-bed, nor do I claim in this application the combination, with such a structure, of the wash-water conduit and sedimentchamber located at the upper and lower ends of said bed, as these matters are claimed in an a plication filed by me August 19, 1904, Seria No. 221,348, and allowed June 30,1905, of which application the present application constitutes a division.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with a feed-water heater having a steam-space above and a filteringchamber below, a filtering-bed extending' across the filtering-chamber of the heater in an inclined position and composed of a plurality of separated sheets of filtering fabric of successively-increasing iineness toward the under side of the bed, through all of which sheets the water successively passes, subtering fabric and spacing and retaining grates superposed thereon and on each other, said spacing-grates having unobstructed channels on their under sides extending in the direction of inclination of the bed, substantially as described.

4. A feed-water heater having a steamspace above and a filtering-chamber below, and a sediment-chamber provided with a sediment-outlet at the bottom thereof, a wash-water chamber at the top of said filtering-chamber, and a filtering-bed extending in an inclined position across the filtering-chamber from the water-line to the sedimentchamber, said filtering-bed being composed of alternately-superposed grates and sheets of filtering fabric, the grates being provided on their under sides, above the fabric, with unobstructed channels extending continuously in the direction of inclination of the bed, substantially as described.

5. In combination with afeed-water heater having a steam-space above and a filteringchamber below, having partitions at the water-line and bottom, and wash-Water and sediment chambers adjacent thereto respectively, angle-bars extending between said partitions, and a filtering-bed supported on said partitions and angle-bars and composed of alternately-superposed sheets of Jliltering material and grates, the grates being provided on their under sides, above the sheets,

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with unobstructed Channels extending in the direction of inclination of the bed, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a 'feed-water heater 5 having a steam-space above and a filteringchamber below, said filtering-chamber having fixed supports therein, a removable filterbed composed of alternate grates and sheets of filtering fabric, each grate composed of a 1o plurality of relatively small sections, tie-bars extending over the uppermost grate, and threaded studs extending through the grates and provid ed with nuts to secure the tie-bars, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I ax my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

OMAN L. STUMP. Witnesses:

CARL T. BAUMAN, ROBERT G. LUCAS. 

